Biosensor for detecting smell, scent, and taste

Abstract

The invention relates to biosensors for detecting odorants, especially a biosensor that mimics odorant detection by a mammal, for example, humans, dogs or cats. The field of the invention also related to the standardization of odors for scent, smell and taste using the biosensor of the invention, and the discovery of agonists, antagonists, and mixtures of odorants for creating new odors, masking odors, enhancing odors, and designing odors.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method for detecting an odorant, comprising the steps of: providing a plurality of biosensors wherein each biosensor comprises an Olfactory Receptor, a G protein subunit Gα, a G protein subunit Gβ, and a G protein subunit Gγ, and a reporter, wherein binding of odorant to the Olfactory Receptor sends a signal through the G protein subunits resulting in a signal from the reporter, wherein at least some of the biosensors have a different Olfactory Receptor, adding the odorant to the biosensors, and detecting an increase for a reporter whereby binding of the odorant to the Olfactory Receptor is detected. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biosensor is in an  Aspergillus , a  Trichoderma , a  Saccharomyces , a  Chrysosporium , a Klyuveromyces, a  Candida , a  Pichia , a Debaromyces, a  Hansenula , a  Yarrowia , a  Zygosaccharomyces , a  Schizosaccharomyces , a  Penicillium , or a  Rhizopus.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the biosensor is in a membrane fraction of a host cell. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the host cell is an  Aspergillus , a  Trichoderma , a  Saccharomyces , a  Chrysosporium , a Klyuveromyces, a  Candida , a  Pichia , a Debaromyces, a  Hansenula , a  Yarrowia , a  Zygosaccharomyces , a  Schizosaccharomyces , a  Penicillium , or a  Rhizopus.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of quantifying the binding of the odorant to the Olfactory Receptor. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of quantifying the binding of odorant at each of the different Olfactory Receptors. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , further comprising the step of making an Aromagraph for the odorant. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the reporter is an optical reporter. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising the step of quantifying the binding of odorant at each of the different Olfactory Receptors in real time by measuring changes in the optical reporter over time. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising the step of quantifying the binding of the odorant in real time by measuring a change in the optical reporter over time. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of making an Aromagraph for the odorant. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of obtaining information from the Aromagraph. 
     
     
         13 . A method of making an Aromagraph of a product, comprising the steps of: obtaining an Aromagraph made by  claim 11  for a component of the product. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the Aromagraph is made for the component of the product and a second component of the product. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the Aromagraph is made for the component of the product with a plurality of other components of the product. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a second Aromagraph is made for a second component of the product. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein a second Aromagraph is made for a plurality of other components of the product. 
     
     
         18 . A method of describing a product using the Aromagraph of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the Aromagraph of  claim 14  is used. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the Aromagraph of  claim 17  is used.